Nosipho, hero of home affairs
A Facebook post showing gratitude for a government employee’s selflessness went viral – but the KZN official says it’s all in a day’s work
SHE’S being hailed as one of South Africa’s newest heroes, someone who goes the extra mile to make other people’s lives better – but this woman with the wraparound smile doesn’t think of herself this way.
As far as Nosipho Mkhupheka is concerned she’s just doing her job. And it’s precisely because of this that she’s become such a sensation around the country. Nosipho (53) works at the department of home affairs of fice in Scottburgh on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast and – as many South Africans can attest – a long, torturous visit to home affairs is almost as inevitable as death and taxes.
But Nosipho isn’t like many of the other officials who work for this government department: come closing time she doesn’t usher tired, grumpy people out of the building and tell them to BY ZAMA CHUTSHELA come back the next day.
She helps as many people waiting at her counter as she can because she knows they’ve been waiting a long time, that they’ve taken time off work and that time means money.
What she didn’t expect was for her work ethic and attitude to go viral.
Which is exactly what it did after Scottburgh resident Marius Botha posted a picture of a smiling Nosipho on Facebook along with a caption describing her in glowing terms.
“Today (Friday) at 16:00 all her colleagues left their workstations and went home. Mrs Mkhupheka stayed and helped the last 40 customers all on her own and with a smile on her face!!! You are my hero. South Africa needs more people like you. Thank you. We salute you.”
Now the Scottburgh branch has become the home affairs office of choice for many people in KZN, thanks to its now-public reputation for efficiency and, more importantly, Nosipho who actually cares about the people in the queues.
Her family couldn’t believe she was trending on social media in the hours after Marius’ post.
“When she started to trend on Facebook I didn’t take it seriously. I thought it was a joke,” says her daughter, Nontsikelelo (27).
“But as the comments kept coming I knew this was serious and I started following Marius Botha’s page. The comments were overwhelming and I’m happy her hard work is finally paying off.”
N‘I put the needs of the people first’
OSIPHO describes herself as a bulldozer when we meet at her family home in Magabheni, Port Shepstone. “This is because I am fast and efficient and I don’t give up easily. I make sure everyone gets the attention and assistance they deserve.”
Since she was a girl growing up in Umlazi, Durban, she’s always wanted to help people and planned to become a social worker.
After she married Vincent Mkhupheka (now 62) in 1985 she had too many responsibilities that prevented her from studying and becoming a social worker, so in 1989 she went to work as a clerk and typist at the magistrate’s court in Manguzi.
The court was housed in the same building as other government departments and the clerks would often have to help in other offices when they were short-staffed.
“In a typical day I would work as an interpreter in court and assist home affairs with the issuing of birth certificates. Then I’d go and help the department of labour with their administration. I had no option but to be smart and efficient,” she says.
Having to multitask turned out to be a blessing, Nosipho adds. “Because I learnt other skills.”
A few years later she transferred to the magistrate’s court in Umbumbulu where she worked as an interpreter, then to home affairs in Isipingo and in 2012 to the Scottburgh home affairs office.
Since becoming a home affairs hero, she and her efficiently run office have been praised by KZN residents.
“I heard through the media that Scottburgh is much quicker and more efficient so I decided to come here,” Peter Grant (66) from Hillcrest says.
Malvern resident Eileen Volmer (90) says she’s been from pillar to post trying to get a Smart ID card, and had almost given up on it until “I heard about the efficiency at Scottburgh”.
Nosipho’s highest-profile visitor so far has been home affairs minister Siyabonga Cwele, who popped in to thank her for her hard work after the viral post.
“It’s very humbling and overwhelming,” she says.
She believes the number of people visiting her office has increased because they’re desperate for good service.
“We’d love to take more people but we can’t because our systems aren’t as fast as we’d like them to be. In the past few weeks we’ve had a high number of people from all over KwaZulu-Natal.
“Although we’d like to help everyone in one day it’s sometimes impossible so those who can’t be helped are allocated numbers so they get preference the next day.
“Time is always against us but we’ve got to create it. Even if it means working extra hours.”
NOSIPHO shares her home with her retired husband, who used to work for a printing company, their kids, Nontsikelelo, Sbusiso (32) and Nkazimulo (22), and their families.
And not only does she spend her weeks helping others, she does it over weekends too. She’s a pastor at the Assemblies of God ministry and has no doubt her calling is to give unto others.
“This is what makes me happy. When I do my job I put the needs of the people first and I put myself in their shoes. That way I can feel their pain and understand their problems.”
One woman who’ll always be grateful to her is Elsie Maphumulo (45), who wept tears of joy when she heard the home affairs minister had visited Nosipho.
“I couldn’t help it, I cried all day. I thought of everything she’s done for me and I knew she deserved that special visit,” says Elsie, who was taken under Nosipho’s wing when she was shot and disabled in 1994.
“Out of the goodness of her heart she took me into her home.”
Nosipho’s husband, Vincent, says it’s about time Nosipho’s hard work for her country and her community was singled out.
“As a family we’re excited she’s finally being recognised throughout the country. As long as I’ve known her she’s always been a hard worker.
“She’s dedicated not only to her job, but to her children, to me and the entire community.”
Yet for Nosipho it’s a case of just another day at the office. She may often work from 7am to 5pm but she owes it to her customers, she says.
“Above all I am a servant of the people and that is what I’m here for.”